Gymnasium apparatus.



PATENTED FEB. 28, 1905.

M. B. REAGH. GYMNASIUM APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 30. 1904.

3 SHEETSSHEET l.

PATENTED FEB. 28, 1905.

M. B. REACH.

GYMNASIUM APPARATUS.

APPLIOATIDN FILED SEPT. 30. 1904 3 BHEETSSHEBT 2.

PATENTED FEB. 28, 1905.

M. B. REACH. GYMNASIUM APPARATUS.

APPLICIATION FILED SEPT. 30. 1904,

3 SHEETS-BREE! 8.

lhirn Smite Patented February 28, 1905.

arena SllGNOR- TO SPALUTNG MANUFAUlTUHlNG- FALLS, lVlASSAOHUt-Ul'l" S.

IOMPA'NY, F GlllUOPP-IE SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Fatent No. 783,890, dated February 28, 1905.

Application filed September 30, 1904. Serial No. 226,716.

To (ti/Z 1077 0117, itnuty concern:

lie it known that I, MIL'roN BENJAMIN REACH, a citizen of the United States, residing at ()hicopee Halls, lvlassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gymnasium Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to gymnasium apparatus, and particularly to means for support- IO ing and holding said apparatus whereby when not in use the apparatus may be cleared from the floor with ease and in a short time, said i'neans permitting also the said apparatus to be quickly set up in position for use.

i have shown my invention in connection with horizontal-bar apparatus; but it will be understood that I do not limit myself to the a use of my invention with such apparatus alone, as it may be employed in its broad features with other kinds of apparatus.

The invention consists in the features and combination and arrangement of parts hereinaiter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention in place in the gymnasium. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the apparatus in its raised position. Figs. 3 and t are views of details.

Gymnasium apparatus of the kind known as horizontal bars and Swedish boms have heretofore been erected in the gymnasium upon the floor and held by braces or guys extending downwardly from the tops oi. the uprights to the iioor, each of said guys or stays being tightened by a suitable tm'nbuckle. This arrangement requires a large number of floor-plates, requires adiustment individually oi the several stays, and requires considerable floor-space for its accommodation. l aim to provide apparatus of this general character which may be quickly set up or removed from the door, said apparatus dispensing with the divergent braces running from the top of the uprights to the widely-separated points on the lloor where the floor-plates are located.

in carrying out my invention I employ uprights 1, carrying the horizontal bar 2. 'lhese uprights are held at their lower ends to the floor by the fastening devices 3 engaging the floor-plates l and arranged to tighten the guys, as will be hereinafter described, and of these floor-plates it is necessary to employ only two in my form of apparatus, one being located at the foot of each upright. These uprights are held rigidly at their upper ends by means oi guys or stays connected to the extreme upper ends of the uprights and diverging upwardl y therefrom, the upper ends oi the guys being attached to the upper structure oi the gymnasium -as, for instance, the beams 5-- the attachment being made by means of the metallic eyes 6, fixed to the beams.

The horizontal bar is held in place by litting in brackets 7, which include each a sleeve 8, arranged to slide on the upright, so that the horizontal bar may be adjusted to diii'erent elevations.

in order to hold and adjust the horizontal bar, .i employ the ropes 9, attached to the brackets which hold the horizontal bars, said ropes passing .up over pulleys 1O 10, held on cross-bars '11 at the top of the building. the said ropes thence running over a pulley 12, supported on the wall of the building, from which point said ropes extend to the windingdrum 13, and by turning this drum the ropes are drawn up to raise the horizontal bar in relation to the uprights. so that it may be held at different heights on the said bars. Now in order to clear the iioor ot' the apparatus it is simply necessary to untasten the uprights at their lower ends from the floor-plates and continue the windin of the elevating and su porting ropes. which will lift the said uprights, together with the horizontal bar, up to the roof oi? the gymnasium or to the rooii-timbers, where it is held entirely out oi the way and clear of the Hour, leaving the same Free For any desired use.

When it is intended to use the apparatus, the uprights are lowered and their lower ends attached to the tloor by means of the fastening devices and the floor-plates, and the lu)wardly-extcnding guys are also tightened. The horizontal bar is then adjusted to the desired height, where it is held by the ropes or other means.

An important feature of my invention relates to the manner in which the uprights are secured to the floor, and the apparatus is set firmly in position by causing the tightening of the guy-ropes. this, I provide a lever 14, pivoted at in a bracket or strap 16, secured to the upright. This lever is bifurcated, and between its arms is pivoted a link or member 17, forming part of a turnbuckle, of which the other part, 18,

consists of a rod having a screw-tlneaded portion passing through the lower end of thc portion 17. The lower end of the screw-rod 18 is provided with a head 19, formed of laterally-extending projections which are adapted to pass through a slot in the floor-plate and engage the under side of the same. It will be understood that one of the devices now being described is associated with each upright. Each upright also is provided with a spur or projection 20 on its lower end engaging an opening in the floor-plate. This spur is of elongated form and is adapted to act as a guide and to retain the lower end of the upright against lateral movement while the parts are being strained and firmly set in position, the spur being long enough to permit of the necessary amount of movement to allow the guys or cables to be stretched taut and the apparatus made firm. In setting up one of the uprights the lever 14 is dropped below a horizontal position, and the turnbuckle is lowered sufliciently thereby to allow the head 19 to enter the floor-plate. Then by raising the lever, the said head 19 being firmly held against the under side of the floor-plate and the lever being fulcrumed at the point 15, the upright will be pulled downwardly against the floor, the spur or projection on its lower end guiding the said upright in this action. This downward movement of the uprightalso places the guy-ropes under strain, and thus firmly sets the apparatus in position. hen the lever has been raised and the partsfirmly set, said lever occupies substantially the position shown in Figs. 3 and 1, in which its upper end bears against the side of the upright, so thata pivoted catch 21, carried by the lever, will engage an opening in the upright and be retained thereby; Instead of providing a catch the lever may be held in its upright position by allowing the pivotal point of the turnbuckle to line of pull.

I do not Wish to limit myself to the details of construction and arrangement of the parts, as these may be varied without departure from the essential principles of the invention.

I claim as my invention- 1. In combination, in gymnasium apparatus, an upright, means for detachably securing the same to the floor, and means for holding the said upright at its upper portion, and

pass to the right beyond the l l l I l l In order to accomplish 5 for elevating it when detached from the floor,

; substantially as described.

.2. In apparatus of the class described, an upright, means for detachably securing the same to the floor, guys extending from the upper part of the upright to points overhead, and means for elevating the upright when detached from the floor, substantially as described.

l l i l l I l. I I r l l l l l l l l In an apparatus of the class described, a pair of uprights with means for detachably holding them to the floor, guys extending from the upper part of the uprights to points overhead, a cross-piece extending between the uprights and elevating means for the apparatus.

4. .In combination, a plurality of uprights with means extending between them and connected thereto, guys extending from the apparatus to points overhead, and a pair of elevating-ropes, substantially as described.

5. In combination, a plurality of uprights, with a cross-piece extending between them and vertically adjustable thereon, guys extending from the uprights and hoisting-ropes connected with the cross-piece,substantially as described.

6. In combination, a plurality of uprights with a cross-piece extending between them, means for attaching the uprights removably to the floor, and means for elevating the uprights to a position overhead, substantially as described.

7. In combination, in gymnasium apparatus, a rigid upright, means for holding its upper portion, and means attached to the upright for tightening said holding means, said means serving also for detachably securing the upright to the floor, substantially as clescribed.

8. In apparatus of the class described and in combination a rigid upright, flexible guys extending from the upper part of the upright to points overhead, means for detachably securing the upright to the iioor and also serving for tightening the said guys connected with the upright, substantially as described.

9. In apparatus of the class described, a rigid upright, flexible guys extending from the upper part of the upright to points overhead, means for detachably securing the upright to the floor and serving also for tightening said guy in connection with the upright, and means for elevating the upright when detached from the floor, substantially as described.

10. In apparatus of the class described, a pair of uprights, guys extending from the u pper part of the uprights to points overhead, means for detachably holding the uprights to the floor and serving also for tightening the guys, an adjustable cross-piece extending between the uprights, and elevating means for the apparatus, substantially as described.

11. In combination, in apparatus of the class described, an upright, guys for holding the same at its upper part, and means for securing the upright to the floor, said means being adapted to draw the upright downwardly under strain and thus tighten the guys, substantially as described.

12. In combination, in apparatus oi the class described, an upright, guys for holding the upper part thereof and means for securing the upright to the floor including a lever for drawing the upright downwardly and placing the guys under strain, substantially as described.

13. In combination, in apparatus of the class described, an upright, guys for holding the upper part thereof, a lever pivoted to theupright and having a link connected with the floor detachably, said lever and link being adapted to pull the upright downwardly and thus strain the guys, substantially as described.

14. In combination, in an apparatus of the class described. an upright, guys for holding the upper part thereof. and means for detachably securing the lower end of the upright to the floor including a lever and a link made &

up of turnbuckle members, one of the latter having ahead to engage a floor-plate, substantially as described.

15. In combination, in gymnasium apparatus, an upright, means for detachably securing the same to the floor including a clamp ing-lever carried by the upright, substantially as described.

16. In combination. in gymnasium apparatus, an upright, guys for holding the upper end thereof and means for detachably seeuring the upright to the floor, and for drawing the same downwardly to strain the guys, said means being carried by the upright to be removed frem the floor when the upright is re moved, substantially as described.

[11 testimony whereof I afiix mysignaturein presence of two witnesses.

MILTON BENJAMIN REACH.

Witn esses:

H. F. Jameson, H. L. Hour. 

